Disclaimer: I don't own! I just love playing with the characters. SE Hinton owns and even Ford Francis Coppola probably has more rights than I do.

A.N: So I was re-watching The Outsiders awhile ago and this idea came to me. I was watching when the Socs pulled up into the park and Johnny asked, wanna split and Ponyboy decided to stay. I don't know why it only fully dawned on me now, but it got me thinking….what if Ponyboy in a split moment decided for them to bounce, how would it have changed.

I wrote this with only that basic idea, so this was winged. I don't think I ever read any other fanfic with this idea, so I figure I'd give it a shot.

As usual, have story written out…give me couple days to revise and upload it all.

Summary: What if instead of staying and fighting the Socs, Ponyboy and Johnny decided to run? What if the Socs tried to chase them down…..with their car….

Chapter one: Bright Lights, Lights out

Headlights shined into the park coming closer and closer. Johnny and Ponyboy looked up from their spot on the monkey bars.

"What are they doing here?" Ponyboy asked the cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he replaced the lighter back into his pocket.

"It's not to give you a ride home", Johnny replied as he fumbled with the cigarette butt that he found off the ground.

The car stopped but the lights continued to shine in their faces as they squinted. Johnny felt his heartbeat speed up though he fought to remain cool and asked, "Wanna split?"

Ponyboy took a puff of his cigarette, his own heart speeding up. He counted at least three he could see moving around in there maybe more. The doors of the blue mustang opened. Ponyboy swallowed. He knew for a fact that he and Johnny were outnumbered. He sensed this could not go well.

Stay or go...

He didn't want to look like a punk, but sometimes it's better to get out while you can. What was that saying? Run to fight another day or something like that. Ponyboy debated within himself.

"Hey, uh, aren't you the greasers that were picking up on our women?" one asked having barely made it out of the car.

Johnny and Ponyboy exchanged glances. "He's drunk", Ponyboy hissed.

Suddenly, he made his decision. He was not sticking around for this. The others were barely making it out of the car. The driver seemed to be lucid enough though as he exited without any problems and glared at the duo.

Ponyboy reached over and slapped Johnny's arm. "Let's split!" he hissed as he flicked his cigarette away.

Johnny didn't need to be told twice as they slid from the monkey bars and took off towards the Curtis house.

"Hey!" one called out.

"They are running!" another called.

Bob got back into the car with surprising speed as did the rest. "After them!" he hissed to Randy, the driver. The doors were barely shut before Randy stepped on the pedal and maneuvered the car around the monkey bars and after the duo running.

"What the...!" Ponyboy cried glancing over his shoulder as the lights began to get brighter behind them.

"They're crazy! Are they planning on running us down?" Johnny called out not looking behind him.

"Less talk, more speed!" Ponyboy answered running as fast as his legs to carry him. He could run pretty fast but couldn't outrun a car. And he was worried about Johnny. Johnny never could run for very long. They worked their way down the rest of the hill and towards the street, the car following behind them. They could hear the laughs and jeers floating from the car.

Bob stuck his head out the window, "We are coming for you, you greasers!"

"Yeah, we are playing chicken! And they are the chickens!" one cried getting a loud laugh from the rest of the group.

"Run, Johnny!" Ponyboy called trying to get the both of them to run faster. He didn't like this situation at all.

Johnny didn't bother trying to respond as he concentrated on running. And between running, he was praying that they survive this. He was running out of steam. He just prayed they get to safety. He glanced over his shoulder, trying to judge how close the car was. It prompted him to run faster.

But then, it all happened in slow motion:

Just as Johnny and Ponyboy made it to the street and went to turn towards the Curtis's house, Ponyboy tripped up on a bottle that was lying on the ground, making him stumble. Johnny having gotten a fraction of a foot ahead, turned and saw that the car was almost right on them. In a fast decision he darted forward, pushing Ponyboy out of the way just the screeching of the tires could be heard.

There was screaming and a sickening thud followed by a crack.

TBC….